Chap. 225.—An ACT to amend sections 84 and 86 of the charter of the
city of Richmond, passed July 11, 1870, changing the mode of elect-
ing the police commissioners of said city.

Approved March 29, 1877.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
sections eighty-four and eighty-six of the charter of the city
of Richmond, prescribed by the act passed July eleventh,
eighteen hundred and seventy, be amended and re-enacted
80 as to read as follows:
§ 84. The police department of the city of Richmond shall
be under the general control and management of police com-
missioners thereof, who shall consist of the mayor and six
citizens. The mayor shall be ex-officio president of the
board, and shall preside at its meetings, and shall have a vote
in case of a tie. In his absence, the other members may
select a president to act pro tempore. The other members
shall be elected in the month of July, by the two branches of
the city council in the following manner, to-wit: at least ten
days before the joint meeting of the council for such election,
apn order for such election shall be entered on the journals of
the two branches of the council, and a copy of the same for-
warded to the board of public interests of said city. The
said board of public interests shall select, by a viva voce vote,
which shall be recorded in their minutes, and a copy of the
same forwarded with their nominations to the joint meeting,
eighteen persons who are voters in said city, and who shall
be freeholders, and who shall not hold any office—state, mu-
nicipal, or federal; the names of which eighteen persons shall
be certified to the city council by the president of the board
of public interests as the persons from whom the police com-
missioners are to be selected, together with the recorded vote
of said board of public interests as above required. From the
eighteen names thus sent into the council by the board of
public interests, the council, meeting in joint session, shall
proceed to elect six, one from each ward; but no person
shall be elected who shall not receive a majority in each
branch of the council of the whole number of members
elected to each branch; and in case there is no election, or
those elected decline to act, under the first nomination thus
made, or whenever there is a vacancy, the board of public
interests sball in the like manner proceed to nominate to the
council three times as many persons as there are vacancies,
and said vacancies shall be filled as above prescribed. The
mayor and the said six persons shall constitute the board of
police commissioners, any four of whom shall constitute a
quorum. Immediately on their organization they shall divide
themselves by lot into six classes, the first to serve one year ;
the second, two years; the third, three years; the fourth,
four years; and the fifth, five years; and the sixth, six years ;
and as the terms expire, the vacancies in the board thus made
shall be filled by selecting members for six years, whereby
all will serve six years, and one will be elected in July of
each year in the manner hereinbefore provided ; the said
board may adopt rales and regulations for the government
thereof; it may establish, promulgate, and enforce proper
rules, regulations, and orders for the good government of
the police force, and in any investigation pertaining to their
duties, shall have power to send for persons and papers, and
by their president to administer an oath: provided that said
rules and reguiations shall not, in any way, conflict with any
ordinance of t&e city council: the members of the said board
may be removed at any time, by a vote of two-thirds of the
city council elected, for good cause, upon proper charges and
specifications made and proved; if any member shall resigo,
cease to be a voter, or a freeholder, be removed, or be a can-
didate for any office—federal, state, or municipal, there shall
be at once a vacancy in said board, which shall be filled as
aforesaid; and when any member of the police commissioners
is named as an applicant or candidate, or as proper to be
supported as a candidate for any office, or as a proper person
to. receive such office, it shall be the duty of the board of
public interests at once to notify him in writing that his
name is mentioned in connection with such office, and if said
member do not, within two days after the receipt of such
notice, file with the board of public interests, his statement
in writing that he is neither a candidate nor applicant for such
office, and that he will not serve nor accept it if appointed or
elected, then said board shall declare his place vacant, and
notify the city council of the vacancy, which shall be filled
in the manner hereinbefore prescribed; when vacanvies are
filled for any cause, they shall be filled only for the unex-
pired term.

§ 86. Immediately after their organization, the board of
police commissioners shall divide the present police force, as
it now exists, into three classes, by lot. The terms of the
first class, in this classification, shall expire on the first day
of July, eighteen hundred and seventy-gight; of the second
clas&, on the first day of July, eighteen hundred and seventy-
nine; and of the third class, the first day of July, eighteen
hundred and eighty. The board shall also classify the police
force of officers and men into three grades, to be known as
the first, second, and third grades; the first grade shall serve
for three years from the date of appointment; the second

rade, for four years from said date; and the third grade, for
five years from said date. The board may promote, for meri-
torious conduct, any member of the force from the first to
the second grade, and from the second to the third grade.
All appointments shall be first made to the first grade, but
when the terms of the men expire, they may be re-appointed
to any of the grades that the board consider proper; no
one shall-be promoted except to the grade next above him;
and all officers and superiors shall be appointed from the
highest grade. The police force shall consist of a chief of
police, and as many officers and privates as the city council
may, by ordinance, prescribe; the chief of police shall have
the right to discharge any private, and shall report his rea-
sons therefor to the board; he shall be appointed for the term
of three years, by the board of police commissioners. No
new appointments shall be made until the expiration of the
term of the present chief of police, unless he be removed by
the board for cause. The pay of the police shall be fixed by
the city council by ordinance; the police shall be appointed
by the police commissioners, as vacancies occur, and as here-
inbefore provided. The chief of police shall be responsible
for the discipline and efficiency of the police force; all orders
shall pass through bim, except so far as the rules, regulations,
and ‘orders of the board of police commissioners, authorize
orders to be given direct to any subordinate in the police
force; any member of the force, including the chief, may be
removed (in addition to the power of dismissal vested in the
chief) by the board of police commissioners, upon proper
cause shown. The board of public interests shall remain as
now constituted by ordinance of the city: provided, however,
that the present po:ice commissioners shall continue in office
until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified, un-
der the provisions of this act.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.